Pakistan declares national emergency after floods kill more than 900 people, seeks aid
Floods in Pakistan
Pakistan has declared a national emergency after rain-induced calamitous floods killed more than 937 people.
The country's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called the incessant monsoon rains a “climate-inducted humanitarian crisis of epic proportions”.
From June 14 to date, the Sindh province has reported the highest number of deaths as 306 people lost their lives due to floods and rain-related incidents, according to the latest data compiled by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Marking an increase of 241 per cent, Pakistan received 166.8mm of rain in August as opposed to the average of 48mm.
Admitting that the incessant “monstrous” rainfall had “made it hard to carry out relief operations”, minister for climate change Sherry Rehman said a “war room” has been established by the prime minister at NDMA.
Comparing the current situation with the devastating 2010 floods, Rehman had said earlier this week that the massive rains and flooding in Pakistan have affected more than 30 million people over the last few weeks.
Adding that all tent manufacturers had been mobilised and external donors were also approached for tents, she said Sindh has asked for one million tents and Balochistan has demanded 100,000 tents.
Urging citizens to come forward and help their compatriots at this critical juncture, information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb evoked the “national spirit”.
UN agency Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) revealed in a report that more than 82,000 homes have been damaged and 150 kilometres of roads had been damaged across the country in the last 24 hours.
(With inputs from agencies)
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